Eye on Travel

Eye on Travel — New York — May 8, 2021

This week’s broadcast of Eye on Travel is from New York. Peter has all the latest travel updates — and there are many — as the world begins to reopen. Peter is joined this week by Reuters Correspondent David Shepardson with a report on more problems with the Boeing 737 Max. And a serious question: Is the FAA still delegating critical safety inspections to the manufacturers themselves? Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch on the reaction to the EU decision to open its borders to vaccinated Americans, and how many people are now rolling the dice with their travel choices and booking immediately? Arnie Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief at Travel Weekly, speaks about the continuing and controversial topic of a national healthcare system – or lack thereof – and how this relates to the verification of health/vaccine passes and the freedom to travel. And as always, Peter answers your travel questions. There’s all this and more on this week’s Eye on Travel.


 

Have a travel question? Then ask Peter. E-mail him at peter@petergreenberg.com, or tweet your questions to @petersgreenberg (include #AskPeter).


 

Arnie Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief at Travel Weekly, speaks about the controversial topic of a national healthcare system – or lack thereof – and how this relates to the verification of health passes and moreover, travel. If the CDC lifts the no-sail order from U.S. ports, as things stand, cruise lines would have a few obstacles in the state of Florida. And Weissmann explains why. He dives into vaccinated-only cruising, the airline’s staggering new number of routes and the issue with ghost flights. Then, he has an update on the current problems hotels are having now in the post-COVID-19 world. 

 

David Shepardson, Correspondent at Reuters, gives us an update on the current electrical grounding concerns surrounding the 737 Max. The FAA wants to ensure that other similar problems won’t arise with the plane. Shepardson expands on the set of reforms being pushed by Congress that would affect the FAA’s ability to delegate responsibility to Boeing. Should Boeing have any say at all in the certification of its planes? It’s a conflict of interest. And he has more on the latest COVID-19 hotspots around the world right now, the other variants and how the U.S. might begin protecting its borders against the rising caseloads worldwide. 

 

Zach Griff, Senior Reporter at The Points Guy, gives us all the latest updates on all things airline fees. Are they really gone for good or are they coming back? There’s a lot of fine print asterisks that one must keep in mind when looking for airline tickets. Griff shares his experience on the new Avelo Airlines, serving smaller markets and whether or not airlines will be filling all the seats to secondary airports. He also expands on frequent flyer programs and the cut-throat war that awaits us. 

 

Roberto Martinoli, CEO of Silversea, speaks about the challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the cruise industry and how Silversea cruises is pivoting to meet the new safety standards to create a safe cruising experience for all passengers. Find out how it’s coordinating with different ports to ensure cooperation in terms of accepting testing, protocols, and creating controlled environments to minimize the risk of exposure and sickness at much as possible. He also speaks about the mini-explosion in interest in cruising — demonstrated by how Silversea’s World Tour Cruise sold out in just one day and its excitement in welcoming passionate cruisers and repeat travelers back aboard its ships when it begins sailing again from Greece in June.

 

Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, reveals why some are “rolling the dice” on travel and shares uplifting news on U.S. travel advisories. He speaks to some of the staggering statistics from last year and the reality of what advisers were going through in March and April. Upchurch speaks to vaccination distribution, some of the current trends and why he’s staying hopeful for the cruising industry. He further dishes on last-minute safaris, why we’re still in the “Golden Age” of travel and some of the relevant trends we’re seeing today. 

 

Kevin Rabbitt, CEO at Hornblower Group | City Experiences, reveals some of the struggles the past year brought the transportation company and how it’s actively overcoming those challenges. The charter yacht, dining cruise and ferry service company was essentially shut down for the past 14 months just like the major cruise lines. Rabbitt discusses some of the efforts the company has made to prepare for a successful comeback, including several new business acquisitions and a revamp of the company’s digital platforms. He also tells Peter that as more and more people are getting vaccinated, guests are eager to experience what Hornblower has to offer  with nearly all of the remaining experiences in 2021 sold out and sales already looking good for 2022. Similar to many other travel companies, he says that beginning July 1st, all crew and passengers will be required to be vaccinated.